New MMI Prep Library to be Open to Public

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A new multi-million dollar library is under construction at a private school in Luzerne County, but it will be open to the public once it is completed.

Workers are taking advantage of the nice weather to build a massive library attached to MMI Preparatory School near Freeland.

Once complete it will triple the library space available for 248 students. It's cost is in the millions.

"We had a very generous alumni named Joseph Turry from the class of 1945," said Kim McMulty of MMI Preparatory School. "He made a generous one point $5 million gift to the school to build the library and we also received a grant from the state of Pennsylvania for a million dollars."

State officials said a condition of the taxpayer funded grant is that the new library for the private school be open to the public. School officials say residents cannot take out books but high tech services will be available after school hours.

"There will be computer access and in addition to that there will be support to individuals who are looking for jobs, job searches on the internet, resume building, those type of things," explained Mike Morrison of MMI Preparatory School.

That should help people who go to the Freeland Public Library which does not have internet access.

"We are very excited that the MMI students are getting a new library and we wish them the best of luck," said James Reinmiller of Freeland Public Library.

The new library at MMI Prep is scheduled to be completed in early spring.

It is not the only thing that will be used by the public. A walking trail was opened two years ago for public use.